Counterbalance mechanism for pump-rods.



E. MAINWARING.

COUNTERBALANCE MECHANISM FOR PUMP RODS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-8| 19l4.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

E DWARD M AI NWARING, 0F GOTHAIVI, WISCONSIN.

COUNTERBALANCE MECHANISM FOR PUMP-RODS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2a, 1915.

Application filed September 8, 1914. Serial No. 860,773.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD MAINWAR- ING, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Gotham, in the county of ltichland and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counterbalance Mechanism for Pump-Rodmand I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention refers to deep well pumps and has for its primary object to provide a simple, economical and efiective counter balance for the pump-rods of such devices.

Specific objects of my invention are to provide a compression coiled spring that is mounted within the cylindrical head of standard pumps as a counterbalance for the weight of the pump red, the spring being interposed between a web formed at the throat of the pump and a collar carried by the rod. Thus it will be seen that the coiled spring is concealed and protected against weather as well as being protected against accidents which might occur in a spring for the purpose which would be positioned upon the outside of the pump; to provide,

, as a new article of manufacture, a pump barrel with an integrally cast web for the support of the spring, through an aperture.

in which web the upper section of the pump rod is extended and guided; to provide means for adjusting the tension of the coiled spring in proportion to the counterbalance load of the rod, and to provide means where by the coiled spring for carrying the load can be quickly interchanged for renewal or for springs of different load strain.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts as set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a pump embodying the features of my invention, and Fig. 2, a de- I tailed cross-section of the same, the section being indicated by line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring by characters to the drawings,

1 represents a hollow base column provided with a dome-like throat 2 and a discharge nozzle 3, the dome-like throat being cast integralwith a cylindrical head 4, which head is formed with an integral base web 5 that is centrally apertured for the reception of the upper squared section 6 of a pump rod. The cylindrical head f is closed by a centrally apertured cap 4, which cap is se 1 cured to the head by set-screws, as shown.

The cap has extending therefrom a bracket a having a guide ear therein for the upper end of the pump-rod section 6, which extends through the cap and above the,ear, being arranged for connection to a windmill or other suitable power element, not shown. The pump-rod is connected to a hand-lever 7 which hancldever is fulcrumed to a link 7. Thelin k, in turn, is pivotally attached to cars of said bracket. This construction forms no part of my invention and is simply illustrated to show one general type of pump of ordinary construction. The only change in the construction of pump which I propose to embody so far is that the pump cylinder is formed withthe spring-supporting base web 5, as previously mentioned. The upper squared section 6 of the pump-rod terminates with a coupling head 6 for engagement with the threaded end of a pumprod 6 that extends downward to the piston in suitable sections, depending upon the depth of the well. This rod is incased with in the sectional water supply pipe 8, the open mouth of which pipe is in threaded union with an inwardly extended flange 1, as shown, that forms part of the pump column. Just under the cap 4 of the cylinder head the pump rod section 6 is fitted with a cuplike collar 9, which collar is arranged to be adjusted up and down with relation to the rod and locked in its adjusted position by a split key 10 that passes through any one of a series of apertures 10 that are spaced at suitable intervals and extend through the pump rod section, as shown.

Owing to the fact that the upper pumprod section 6 is, as shown in this example of my invention, squared, the central aper- Hence, in order to prevent the introduction of water into the cylinder head, I preferably provide a washer 11 which is formed with a rectangular aperture through which the rod may have sliding fit, but the passage of water therethrough, owing to the nicety of fit, is eliminated. Thus the washer 11 constitutes a packing for the base of the cylinder head, whereby moisture is prevented from entering said cylinder head under ordinary conditions, which moisture would, to some extent, have the tendency to cause deterioration in a coiled spring 12 that is fitted within the cylinder. The compression coiled spring 12 is formed with a fiat base coil and a flat top coil, the base coil being seated within a circular groove of the washer 11, while the top coil abuts the lower face of the cup-like collar 9. This cup is shown in cylindrical form projecting above the mouth of the cylinder to thus increase the distance between the cup base and cylinder base, whereby a spring of the greatest possible length may be employed. The coiled spring 12 may be, as shown, circular in cross-section or rectangular in crosssection, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is obvious that said spring can be of any desired gage to resist predetermined strain. Thus, for example, if the extreme length required by the pumprod should weigh approximately a certain number of pounds the coiled spring employed as a counterbalance would be pre determinedly scaled to resist such strain to which it is subjected under the conditions ,mentioned and it is obvious that in wells of lesser depth the spring can be formed from more delicate resilient metal. Under all conditions the spring is of such length in proportion to the stroke of the piston or pump-rod that its contraction and expansion will not have any appreciable detrimental elfects due to crystallization and it' is obvious, owing to the face that the coiled spring is entirely incased, its life will be materially lengthened.

Should the coiled spring become weak after a long period of use, it is obvious that the collar 9 can be adjusted downwardly upon the pump-rod and locked in its adjusted position, whereby the coiled spring is put under an initial increased tension to resist the load. This adjustment can also be efiectually employed in fitting new springs to a pump in some instances. It is also within the scope of my invention to manufacture these pumps and when delivered to the trade there will be various sizes of springs sent therewith to be kept in stock, whereby the requirements for different depths of wells can be locally supplied to efi'ect the desired counterbalance. It is also obvious that, by employing a counterbalance spring in accordance with my invention, whereby the pump-rod is approximately balanced, the amount of power required to manipulate the pump in lifting the water will only be approximately equal to the column of water lifted, whereas, under normal ordinary conditions, the dead weight of the pump-rod alone is the main factor and requires great expenditure of power which is practically lost in order to lift a small column of water.

A further advantage of my construction is that pump-rods can be used of larger cross-sectional area due to the counterbalance, whereby the life of the pumps are materially increased as, in present practice, these pump-rods are necessarily supplied as delicately as possible in order to avoid weight and hence their connections in time will break loose, requiring the removal of the entire apparatus at great expense. With my arrangement, the pump-rods being of heavy durable load-resisting quality, will obviously wear much longer and cheapness in maintenance will be the result.

Still another advantage of the balance mechanism is that the cushion effect of the spring will prevent, to a certain degree, racing or sudden jerks in the pumping mechanism which materially affect their life, this being an important feature, either when the pump mechanism is coupled to a windmill or motor, such, for example, as a gas engine. Hence it will be observed that the pump, when so arranged, requires only a few pounds of power to manipulate it, irrespective of the depth ofthe well, and if desired, it can be so finely balanced that a child can do the required amount of labor for raising water by hand power.

While I have shown and described one construction of my counterbalance arrangement in minute detail, it is obvious that I may, without departing from the spirit of my invention, vary the various details of construction within the knowledge of skilled mechanics.

I claim:

1. The combination with a pump having a cap-closed cylindrical head above its discharge throat through which the pump-rod extends, the bore of the head being provided at its base with an apertured web through which said rod extends, a collar within the head and adjustably mounted on the pumprod, and a coiled spring within the head and interposed between the collar and web coI1 stituting a counterbalance element for the aforesaid pump-rod.

2. The combination with a pump having a cap-closed cylindrical head disposed above its discharge throat, an apertured web formed in the bore of the head above said discharge throat, a pump-rod extending through the head, an adjustable collar sethe county of Richland and State of Wiscured to the rod Within and adjacent to the consin in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

upper end of the cylindrical head, and a a coiled spring Within the head and inter- EDWARD MAINWARING' 5 posed between the collar and Web. Witnesses:

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I OTTo HANSON, have hereunto set my hand at Gotham in ROBERT JoHNsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

